


Where the Lightning Strikes

by Solverne



Category: Original Work
Genre: Dragons, Dwarf, Dwarves, Elf, Elves, Fantasy, High Fantasy, Magic, Original Universe, Original work - Freeform, dragon - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2020-07-19 22:15:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19981387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solverne/pseuds/Solverne
Summary: What was thought to be small, random rebels attacking from the western country of Kríttan on the unsuspecting border villages of their eastern neighbor, Sovenel, have turned into something more.A group of people led by an elven woman named Aravae have come together to help protect the innocent villagers. The attacks started and were spaced out, but as the years have passed, they have grown at a terrible rate. While Aravae and her comrades rest at a safe house, an injured stranger stumbles upon them and they save his life. The stranger has crimson red eyes, which can only mean one thing: he is of the demon spawn race, the very ones that have been attacking the innocents. Instead of killing him or sending him to the King, he persuades them to spare him and hear what he has to say.What they learn raises questions that aren't easily answered. Determined to get to the bottom of accusations against the country of Sovenel, Aravae and the others follow leads, hints, and whispers that raise even more questions, but give some answers that aren't what they thought would be likely. The King of Sovenel is harboring a terrible secret and the Queen of Kríttan is determined to bring it into the light, no matter the cost.





	1. The Stranger in the Forest

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for joining me for this journey! This is an original novel that I am working on and am looking for good feedback on it. Updates will likely be slow, but I am pulling myself towards the finish line and am hoping to one day make it an official, hold-in-your-hand book. Please leave me all of your thoughts, questions, concerns, and anything of the like - I would appreciate it so much!!

An eerie silence fell over the field as the fog rolled in, mixing with the dark smoke, effectively dampening visibility. The air was so thick with the metallic tang of blood, it could almost be tasted on the tongue. The sun was in its last moments of setting, the sky turning dark on the morbid landscape. There was nearly no movement. There were no insects making sound, no frogs croaking, not even yet the flapping of wings to indicate birds descending to begin feasting on the corpses that lay strewn in the grass. There was no one to answer for this atrocious act, for even the moon and stars turned their light away from the land.

Amidst the carnage, a lone hooded figure slowly walked, being careful to step around discarded weapons and to dispel any remaining magic that clung to the air like static. In their right hand was a dark wooden staff, the top emitting a faint green glow, now the only source of light in the darkness. Each time the bottom of the staff was allowed to touch the ground, it stuck ever so slightly, the blade attached to it sinking into the dampened ground. A dark curse was muttered from under the hood before it was pushed back and the cloak unbuckled, allowing it to sink to the ground. It had become too dark for the hood and the ends of the cloak were too soaked with blood to move at ease any longer.

A woman emerged from the folds of the cloak, the elongated points of her ears sticking out from sweaty strands of wavy, mahogany hair that clung to her skin. The strands of her bangs that came free from the braid she had woven, she quickly tucked back behind an ear so that they didn’t block her sight. Her eyes moved constantly, making sure not to miss a single detail before her. She had not survived the battle to be done in by a careless move now. She continued her vigilant walk through the battlefield, occasionally choking down a cough or a gag from the putrid mixture of blood, smoke, and fecals. The small respite she got was only thinking about how much worse it could be if the corpses were all rotting. They had only been laying there for about an hour now.

She froze mid-step and snapped her head to the left as a faint sound reached her ears, her eyes narrowing with focus to try and see through the smoke and fog. But there was nothing there. No enemy that still lived, no hint of lingering magic that had targeted her. Perhaps she had only imagined it. After spending days planning and strategizing and then a couple of more days fighting, her nerves were entirely worn down.

She pressed on.

It was some time later before she was content that the battlefield was secure. She heaved a weary sigh and rubbed the bridge of her nose. There wasn’t a single individual left alive after she, her four companions, and the King’s army rained down on them. Though there was no shortage of mages in the King’s company, the task always fell to her to check the fallen bodies and dispel any enduring magic. Other, less experienced mages didn’t exactly leap at this opportunity. She was thorough, as well as being one of the few mages powerful enough to handle trouble on her own. With her duty complete, she shifted the light on top of her staff with a small surge of magic from her hand, feeding it up through the staff. It began to shine bright white, bright enough to be seen through the fog. It would indicate to the forces of the King’s army that was awaiting her signal that they were free to go about moving the bodies and clearing the field. She made her way back towards the western side of the field, where her company of four awaited. Still hearing the clanging of steel and the dying gasps of men in her head, she took a deep breath and began to hum a haunting melody for her ears alone.

When she reached the treeline, the four people she fought alongside with were there waiting for her. She’d seen that they’d been sitting on the ground, resting and cleaning their weapons, but they wearily pushed themselves up upon her arrival. One of them stepped forward, a woman with dark, obsidian skin that was dirty and stained with dried blood. Her honey brown eyes were narrowed with concern. “You’re all finished, Aravae?”

Her words, though spoken softly, shattered the silence that had been hanging tensely in the air. Aravae had stopped her humming at some point along her walk, letting the still air settle in her ears. She gave a single nod of her head and met the eyes of the others. “Yes, it’s done. Shall we be on our way?”

“You mean that you don’t want to spend the night out here by the field while they burn the bodies?” gasped one of the men in a mocking tone. He shook his head, his curly, sandy blonde locks bouncing with each movement.

“Kellam,” snapped the dark skinned woman, “really?”

“Don’t give him the satisfaction of a response, Kiya.” A man with black hair pulled back in a small ponytail loomed over Kellam, his eyebrow arched and his ashy grey eyes seemingly not amused. “You know that only encourages him.”

“Please,” Kellam scoffed. “Someone has to keep all of you from being so gloomy. You don’t see Salisun doing it, so the job falls to me.”

Salisun furrowed his brows, not pleased at having been dragged into the conversation. He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his messy, rusty brown hair. “Let’s just start moving, or else we won’t get back until morning.”

“I think that’s a bit of an overestimation,” Aravae murmured, but with a tired ghost of a smirk. “Ruk, stop glaring at Kellam. Let’s go.”

Morning was indeed an overestimation, but they had a long walk ahead of them. Aravae led the way, keeping the top of her staff illuminated so that they could see well enough to walk through the dark forest that swallowed up any light that may have reappeared after the horrific battle. The elven women tried not to think of it, lest she recall the horrid screams and the sound of metal piercing flesh. She tried to focus on what was in front of her: the dirt path, the rustling leaves from a very gentle wind, the sound of their footsteps on the ground, the shifting of the armor that they wore. Every now and then, someone would inhale and exhale slowly, likely still trying to calm themselves or they were also trying to find ways to distract them from what had just happened. It was hard to discern who it was, but Aravae wasn’t going to call anyone out. Not when they had such a long walk ahead of them.

They dared not stop for fear of growing too drowsy to continue. Every once in a while, they slowed their pace to try and make up for it, but knowing that they were growing closer to their beds with each step gave them enough small bursts of energy to keep going. When one of them felt themselves drifting off, they would talk softly, asking questions or singing a soft song. Sometimes, someone would join in. 

When they finally veered off of the beaten path, they all perked up with renewed energy. It wasn’t much further now. Soon, they would hear the gentle babble of the river and see the outline of their home reveal itself in the light of Aravae’s magic. They would be able to take off their armor and collapse onto their own comfortable mattresses and sleep the rest of the night and possibly into the following afternoon, so long as they weren’t plagued with nightmares.

A step around a final large tree opened up into a clearing before them and the trickling of water met their ears. Kiya shifted a little closer to Aravae’s side, eyes set in a hard gaze on the solid ground that she could see from the light of the staff. The wavy haired woman said nothing. It only took a few more steps and they could see the house emerge from the shadows, built with sturdy logs of ash wood and having a rather decorative design on the front door. There was a humming, collective sigh from the group as they approached. Ruk stepped forward to open the door first, poking his head inside to make sure there wasn’t anyone who had decided to make themselves at home uninvited.

“It’s okay,” Aravae assured him once she sent a small pulse of magic throughout the area. “I don’t sense anyone.”

“Can’t hurt to double check with an old fashioned pair of eyes,” he mumbled grumpily. Aravae flicked her wrist and the candles and small braziers within the house all lit up. As she dampened the spell on her staff, Kellam went ahead into the house along with Ruk, performing a quick check. Once they deemed it clear, the others stepped inside. Salisun closed the door behind them and lifted a plank to set across it as a lock. 

There was an immediate ruckus within the house as everyone proceeded to their bedrooms while unfastening their armor as much as they could without requiring assistance. Multiple metallic  _ clanks _ resounded as pieces were dropped carelessly to the floor beside beds. No words were spoken as everyone vanished behind the doors of their rooms - Ruk in one of his own, Salisun and Kellam sharing one, and Aravae and Kiya in the last. 

Aravae helped Kiya out of her leather guards and few pieces of iron armor and the half-elf woman did the same for her. Once they were freed, they stripped down to their underclothes and crawled into bed. With a wave of her hand, a small, gentle wind of magic passed through their room and the main room, extinguishing the flames that had been lit. The men would blow out their candles when they were ready. The women were more than ready for bed.

The elf rolled onto her side, her back to the wall and her front side facing Kiya’s bed, which was several feet away. She took a deep breath, held it, then exhaled slowly, feeling her tense shoulders finally relax some. Closing her eyes felt like a blissful release. It would be pleasant to venture off into another world for some hours until she woke some time around or after dawn. 

“Aravae?”

“Yes, Kiya?” she inquired without opening her eyes, sleep thick and apparent in her voice.

“...Are you okay?” Kiya asked softly and with multiple layers of meaning.

The screams. The clash of swords. The spears and arrows flying through the air. The spells swirling about and charging the air. The flash of crimson eyes.

Her tension crept back into her body.

“I’ll be fine, Kiya, thank you. I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight, sister.”

“...Goodnight.”

* * *

_ When she opened her eyes next, she was greeted by the dim ethereal light that engulfed everything in sight. Already, things felt more peaceful and surreal. As always, when she returned to the dream world, she felt both awed and calm. For now, the world was quiet, all living things asleep, save for the nocturnal hunters.  _

_ She pulled the covers off of her and glanced over at the small purple orb of flame that hovered just above Kiya’s bed, its flame dancing calmly. She smiled softly at it and murmured, “Thank you, Kiya, really. I hope that you have pleasant dreams tonight.” _

_ For now, Aravae wanted to be elsewhere. She closed her eyes for only a second, but when she opened them again, she was in an entirely new area and was also clad in a silky, lightweight gown. She was now no longer in a dark forest hours away from blood and death, she was on the edge of a forest that was alongside a cliff that dropped steeply into the sea below. Out along the horizon, the sun was setting, painting the sky in brilliant colors. She walked to one tree in particular that stood taller than the others and was set the closest to the cliff. Many of its branches hovered over the water and some of its roots protruded out the side of the rock some distance down. If one were to climb out onto one and slip, they’d likely meet their end by slamming into the water. Aravae knew she was safe, though. It took powerful magic to be harmed in the dream world. She felt her lips tug into a smile as she climbed the tree and walked with care onto one of the thicker branches extending over the sea. _

_ She had found this place while exploring when she was asleep. In this strange place, reality didn’t feel like it really existed, time felt like it stood still, and one could find things that they could never find in the waking world. She wasn’t sure if this world truly existed or not, but she loved to visit it, especially after a battle. The serene landscape helped to clear her mind and having the constant breeze brushing against her skin was relaxing. She could both smell and taste the salty air, but at times it was so powerful that it brought a sting to her eyes. She had been to the sea several times in her life, but not as much as she would have liked. There was always too much to explore in the real world. When she would wander about in the same general area, she would realize one day that a couple of years had passed. She was not immortal. She just had more time than others to adventure and uncover secrets in the world around them. _

_ Being what her mother called a dream walker, Aravae could choose to enter the dream world while she slept or she could sleep regularly with dreams of her own. She had so many theories as to what the dream world really was, but there was no solid evidence. She liked to believe that this place of extreme beauty and peace was where souls went after they perished and were set free from their physical forms. On very rare occasions, she would meet other individuals who were able to wander the dream world like she could. None of them had any clue as to what it truly was either, though each had their own unique names for the world.  _

_ She stood on the branch for a long stretch of time, balancing herself by reaching up and grabbing a branch above her. She watched the movement of the water, listened to the rustling of the trees’ leaves, occasionally hearing the cry of a seagull. The lights from the sunset finally began to fade and she sighed softly. She would never tire of watching sunsets. As she turned to hop off of the branch, her stomach suddenly fluttered. A quick darkness settled in around her and the wind that had been a pleasant fall breeze became more violent, nearly blowing her off of the tree. She turned her head and peered over her shoulder with furrowed brows. There were now whitecaps out in the sea and large waves crashed with force against the cliff. The sky that had been tranquil was now covered by dark gray storm clouds. Her heart leapt into her throat with confusion. Never, in all her years, had she seen a transformation like this in the dream world. _

_ The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and a shiver ran up her spine. She faced forward again, towards solid land, and saw a dark shadow moving about in the forest, drowning out the ethereal light. Her eyes hardened as she stepped off the branch, her bare feet touching down on the ground with grace. The grass crunched beneath her weight when it had only been flimsy and moist not long ago. The shadow moved slowly towards her, nothing but a pitch black landscape behind it. She couldn’t make out a silhouette. Was it another dream walker? A beast? A demon? _

_ She clenched her fists and started to walk forward to meet it. “Who-” _

* * *

“-are you?” Aravae inhaled sharply as she snapped back into consciousness, a cold sweat on her brow. She took a moment to catch her breath and unfurl her fingers before looking around. Early morning sunlight was making its way into the room, courtesy of Kiya opening the window, casting a tired, but concerned look at her.

“Bad dream?” she asked.

“It was…” Aravae paused, trying to find the words as she dabbed at the sweat. “I’m not sure. I was...in the dream world and...it went dark. It transformed in a way I’ve never seen.”

Kiya’s weariness was replaced by alarm. “It went dark? Any time you’ve spoken to me about it, it’s always been...light and mysterious.”

“There was a shadow. The shadow overtook everything.” The elf shuddered when she thought about it again. “I don’t know what to make of it.”

Kiya pressed her lips together and furrowed her brows. “Well… I’m sure something about it will make sense soon. I mean...you don’t sense any demons around us right now, do you? I don’t.”

“No, I don’t, but… No, you’re right.” She exhaled slowly. “I’ll think on it, but nothing will come stressing about it right now. Are the guys still asleep? We can go to the river and wash up.”

Kiya smirked ever so softly. “Judging by the snores, I’d say so. Shall we?”

Aravae nodded and rolled out of bed, running her hands through her hair as she stepped over to her dresser. She opened a couple of drawers and pulled out clean articles of clothing to change into and a towel to dry with. Out of habit and just because it made her uncomfortable without it, she grabbed her staff as she followed Kiya out of the room, who had her own pile of clothes tucked under her arm. She opened a closet near the front door and pulled out a wooden bucket that was about mid-shin height. She opened the door and held onto an edge of the bucket in order to pick it up. 

The pleasant sound of chirping birds met their ears as they stepped out into the fresh, but chilly, morning air. They went to the left to the side of the house and stepped through a little thicket of bushes, Kiya falling behind as Aravae took the lead. On just the other side was a very shallow part of the river, no more than knee-deep. The current was gentle and calming, trickling along the rocks in the bed. Right along the shore were a few larger rocks that had either flat tops or gentle slopes on them, perfect for sitting on. Aravae and Kiya deposited their clothes - and staff - further up by the bushes and made their way to the water. Kiya handed the bucket over to Aravae and carefully climbed onto one of the rocks, avoiding letting more than her feet touch the water. Aravae pulled out the few cloths that were in the bottom of the bucket and passed them to the half-elf, then waded into a deeper section of the river, dipping the bucket in so that it would fill. She grunted with effort as she carried it back to set it in between the two of them where it was within reaching distance, but they could sit on the rocks. She shivered and murmured, “This is cold.”

“The mornings have been getting colder,” Kiya agreed, her voice soft. “But this river is always cold.”

“Good thing you have me, then.” Aravae held her hands out, palms down, and lowered them until they were just barely touching the surface of the water in the bucket. She felt a warmth rush from her shoulders, down her arms, and spread out from her fingertips. Within just a few moments, the water turned warm and had steam rising up into the air.

“Good thing, indeed. You’ve spoiled us with being able to take warm baths easily.” Kiya dipped her rag into the warm water and wringed it out, passing Aravae one for herself.

The women sat on their rocks, scrubbing themselves as clean as they could until their skin ached a little. Aravae in particular was trying not to rub at her hands until the skin turned pink. She was trying to find something to occupy her mind with, but if she wasn’t thinking about her strange encounter in the dream world this morning, then she was remembering the battle from yesterday. A battle that should have never happened. A battle in which so much blood was spilled, too much from her own hands. 

When it felt as though she were wearing her blood-soaked cloak again, weighing her down on her shoulders, she stuck a foot back into the cold water, jolting her from her thoughts. Kiya looked at her in a questioning manner, but she just shook her head silently at her. Once they were both finished with the water in the bucket, Aravae knelt over it and dipped her hair in, Kiya helping to try and rub it cleaner for her. They finished up and dumped the bucket. They then pulled it up on the shore, rested their rags over it to let them dry, and proceeded to dry off so that they could dress. Aravae looked to the younger woman and said, “Well, I feel better. Do you? Shall we do some meditations this morning?”

Kiya shrugged. “I should. Hopefully I won’t just fall back asleep.”

Aravae giggled. “If you do, I’ll just let you sleep.”

“What if I fall over and hit my head?”

“You won’t. You’ll be fine.”

The women returned to the side of the house and found where a patch of sunshine was gracing a larger patch of ground. They sat side by side with their backs against the wall, crossed their legs, Aravae laying her staff across her lap, and Kiya resting her palms on her knees. For some time, they had made this their morning routine. Kiya, who learned upon their first meeting that Aravae was very wise in both the way of elves and magic, desperately wanted to learn more about her heritage and how things were done. She was taught both healing magic and practical herb application by her aunt, but wasn’t as talented in magic as Aravae was. Being half human and half elf, she was curious about both cultures, but she gravitated more towards the elven side since it was more uncommon and secretive.

Aravae quite enjoyed teaching Kiya. Not only how to make her healing magic stronger, but to teach her the language and different methods to focus her mind, which was quite important in magic. Kiya’s young enthusiasm made her feel as if she had a younger sister to guide, which was both bittersweet and heartwarming to her.

It took some time to clear her mind, especially when all she wanted to do was think about the shadow in the dream world and try to uncover what it meant. When she’d finally managed to banish that from her thoughts, the sound of the men snoring and walking rather loudly inside the house tried to disturb her. Before long, she managed to drown them out as well. She hoped Kiya wouldn’t grow frustrated with them and stomp off. She’d come rather far in being able to ignore them and their presence.

It was comforting when she was just focusing on her breaths and slowly counting up. Deep inhale, hold for a few seconds, slow exhale. It was calming and peaceful, not worrying about anything at the current moment or having someone coming to bother her about something. Inhale. She could feel her magic swirling about in her body, flowing like a gentle creek in all of her limbs. Hold. That was how it should always feel. Not like a raging storm and out of control. It was completely in control and at her command. Exhale.

From behind her closed lids, she saw a face of a man with his lips parted in surprise and his face contorted in pain. She jerked and forced her eyes open, taking a strangled breath. It was enough to disturb Kiya, who leaned forward to get a better look at her face. “Aravae…”

“I’m fine,” she insisted quickly. “I just can’t concentrate this morning.”

“Would you like some food? I broke out of my concentration awhile ago. The guys are done bathing, so Ruk is likely cooking.”

“...Yes. That may help some.”

Aravae let Kiya head into the house first. She took a moment pause in the doorway, looking out towards the forest. She felt a prickling sensation creeping up her arms and tickling the back of her neck. She stared out at the trees, as if she would find an answer to her questions hiding behind one of them. Perhaps she was just jumpy, but something didn’t feel quite right. She gripped her staff and waved her hand, ensuring that her ward was securely in place. Only when she was satisfied with that did she enter the house and close the door behind her.

The delectable scents of food wafted through the air to meet her senses and she felt herself relax some. Perhaps some food would help her more than she thought. It had been some time since their last meal, after all...and Ruk was an excellent cook. He’d picked up many skills from his mother when he had traveled with his family a long time ago. They joined the men in the kitchen, though they nearly bumped into Salisun. “Oh, I was just about to come and get you,” he said with a small smile, his hair damp and hanging low in his face. “The food is all ready.”

Once everyone had a plate, they sat in various places in their living room, choosing to sit in comfort rather than the hard dining chairs. Most of the group chattered as they ate, nothing like the mood they had come home with the previous night. Knowing them all, Aravae figured they were just trying to forget it, much like she was. They didn’t choose this life, but when sudden invasions from their neighboring country to the west began years ago, they found themselves in the mix and they came together. They were just living their life as best they could with the circumstances they found themselves in. Aravae was content with just watching them from her spot in her cushioned chair that was next to the window, rays of sunshine beaming through and warming her. Listening to their antics was amusing enough for her and helped to lessen her worries.

That is, until a tingling jolt went up her arm and neck, ending just short of her head. She sat forward in alarm, her plate nearly sliding off of her lap. Ruk noticed her sudden shift and frowned at her, cutting off whatever Kellam had been saying. “Aravae? Is something wrong?”

“Something has passed through my ward,” she informed them curtly, standing and setting her plate down. 

“An animal?” Salisun suggested hopefully.

“I’m not sure. I’m going to go check it out.” With her ever-present staff in hand, she made her way towards the door.

“Should we come with you-?”

“I’ll go,” Ruk replied quickly to Kiya’s question.

Aravae didn’t protest as she stepped through the front door. She heard Ruk following along behind her after a few moments. He had likely grabbed his axe. She followed the disturbance in her magic, like a small stream leading her to a larger river. She had a particular radius outwards where her ward was set and it encircled their house. They were deep within the forest, so they had never had a person passing through accidentally. More often than not, it was an animal that triggered it, but they were always cautious. Aravae was also being more jumpy than normal, so her imagination was currently running wild. Perhaps there had been a witness to the battle the previous night and they were followed. Not even a witness, maybe a survivor that had somehow slipped past them. The air was quiet and tense around them.

Something didn’t feel right.

“Wait,” she whispered, suddenly coming to a halt. Ruk didn’t hesitate at stopping at her side.

Somewhere just ahead, near where the ward had been breached, they could hear something. It sounded like footsteps, though they were slow and uneven, as if one foot were being dragged along the ground. They were not the footsteps of any animal. Ruk brandished his axe and took a step in front of Aravae, eyes narrowed and focused towards the sounds. They were growing louder.

Through the underbrush, a man stumbled forward. An elvish man with bronze skin and straight black hair that fell just past his shoulders, though parts of it were snarled with twigs and leaves. He was hunched, his left hand pressed to his upper right arm, where there was a dried trail of blood running down it. He was moving with heavy, slow movements and they saw that an arrow was lodged in the back of his right thigh. It appeared that he had no weapon and he was dressed very simply, nothing like a warrior. His once beige tunic was stained with dirt and blood and his breeches were not much better. He was barefooted, as many elven people preferred, but they looked cut and bruised. Ruk shifted uneasily, keeping his grip on his axe tight.

“It’s only him,” Aravae whispered to him. “There’s no other disturbances.”

He nodded and shouted, “Halt! Who are you?”

The elven man jerked and froze, lifting his head up to see who was before him. Aravae’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of his crimson red eyes. He was not just an elf. He was a habentes, a demonic offspring of some sort. Once she was able to focus past just the color of his eyes, she saw that they were wide with shock. From there, he transitioned quickly an angry fear, not unlike a cornered animal. She notated he had a small horizontal scar on the far side of his left eye and it was old. At that point, his knees buckled under him and his eyes rolled back in his head as he pitched forward, collapsing on the ground. Aravae and Ruk both held their breath, but the man did not stir. She sent her magic out, combing both him and the area around him. “I don’t sense any magic around him. He appears...harmless.”

“You sound unsure.”

“He’s a habentes. You can never be quite certain.” She stepped out from behind the larger man, eyeing the unconscious figure. “He does appear to be badly injured.”

Ruk did not lower his axe just yet. “Should we just leave him? It’s possible he was targeted for a reason.”

“Or it could have been simply because of what he is. I’m as wary of habenti as the rest of you, you know my reasons. Most others have no reason and just attack based on the color of his eyes.” She approached him cautiously and knelt at his side. He was breathing shallowly, but evenly. It was no act.

“I don’t like this,” Ruk rumbled in his throat. He went to Aravae’s side, but his eyes never left the habentes.

Aravae hummed in acknowledgement and set her staff on the ground so she could examine his wounds. She gently touched the arrow, seeing if it would draw forth a reaction, but the man lay still. Around the point of entry into his skin, his breeches were torn, revealing that the entire arrowhead was indeed entirely buried. Looking up at his arm, she saw nothing within it. It must have been a blow from a sword or perhaps a close call with another arrow. It was a deep gash, but the blood had clotted and judging by the small spot of discoloration within it, infection was beginning to set in. She gestured to the arrow and muttered, “We may be able to get this out before he wakes back up.”

“I don’t like this,” Ruk repeated with a heavy sigh. 

“I would be worried if you did.” She paused. “I can carry your axe and my staff if you can get him back to the house.”

He furrowed his brows. “For-  _ seriously?  _ You want to-?” He stopped when he saw her look, one that told him she wasn’t joking around. He growled softly and held out his axe to her. “Let it be known that I was the voice of reason here.”

“Always. Don’t worry, I’m going to keep constant watch on him. I’ll protect you.”

He snorted and waited for her to move out of the way before lowering himself to the ground. He took hold of the man’s uninjured arm and looped it over his shoulders while his other arm wrapped around his torso. “At least he’s built like an elf. He doesn’t weigh anything, just like you.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” She hurried ahead of him, brows furrowing slightly with effort as she carried his axe in her hands, her staff tucked under an arm. She kept sending out pulses of magic, just to help set her mind at ease that there was no one else nearby and that demons were not manifesting around them. Everything else was as it normally was. The man had no pursuers of any kind. When the house came into view, the others were out on the porch, weapons at the ready, just in case. When they spotted Aravae and Ruk approaching with someone, they all visibly tensed. Kiya hurried to meet them, all but throwing her bow in Salisun’s hands. 

“What is this? What’s going on?” she demanded, trained healer eyes analyzing the unconscious figure.

“She’s getting us into trouble,” Ruk retorted dryly, readjusting his senseless package to squeeze through the doorway, everyone else piling in after him. “Where am I putting him, Kiya?”

“Whichever bed is closest. Let me grab my herbs.”

Aravae reported, “He has a gash on his arm and an arrow in his leg. It looks like the arm is starting to get infected.”

Ruk made his way to his own room, setting the habentes on his bed, face-down. Kellam asked, his voice bearing an edge, “What do we owe him? For all we know, he is an enemy.”

“I’m afraid I have to agree,” Salisun murmured. “This is not a great idea. What if he was followed? Now they may know where we are.”

“He deserves a chance to explain. If he  _ is _ an enemy, then you bloodthirsty men can kill him,” Aravae snapped. “Until then, get out of Kiya’s way.”

The named woman shoved her way through the men that had been blocking the doorway, her hands occupied with many different herbs and bandages. Before she was even to the man’s side, she ordered, “I need a fire going somewhere. Heat me up a couple of daggers.”

“On it.” Salisun exchanged a look with Kellam before stepping out to go bring a load of wood inside. 

“How long has he been unconscious?”

“Just now, when we found him. He’d been conscious up till then, it seems. He wasn’t very focused. It didn’t seem like he was watching where he was going.” Aravae bit the inside of her lip. “It’s like he was trying to get away from...something or someone.”

“And you’re sure he wasn’t followed?”

“Not entirely, but my ward is still up. Nothing else has breached it.”

Kiya hummed in understanding and began to rip the remaining cloth around his breeches so that she could more easily access the wound. While she waited for Salisun to return, she examined the deep slice on his arm, eyes narrowed. She pulled her curly hair back with a ribbon to get most of it out of her face, then shifted her herbs around. She set some in her mortar bowl and glanced around quickly before huffing. “Kellam, I forgot my pestle. Can you grab it? It should just be sitting on my bed.”

“Sure.” His response was curt, but he still did as she asked and hurried to the womens’ room and retrieved the item she’d asked for. She thanked him as she took it and began to mash a few herbs together. 

“Can we see the arrowhead?” she inquired, not looking up from what she was doing.

Aravae started to shift, but Ruk moved first. He carefully tore away the man’s breeches so they could see what they were dealing with. He was gentle when he touched the arrow and pressed around the skin. The man seemed to not respond. “I don’t think it’s barbed. We should be able to just get it out. It isn’t in too deep.”

“Good, that makes it easier. Okay, let me see the arm first…”

With Aravae’s assistance, they also tore at his sleeve so she could analyze his wound. Kiya pressed her lips together, then nodded to herself. She added one more ingredient to her mortar, ground it up, then set it aside. When she spotted Kellam just standing in the doorway, she asked, “Can you go help Salisun with the daggers?”

He still looked thoroughly annoyed by what was going on, but the pale skinned man grunted and left the room. While they waited, Kiya went down to his leg and tilted her head to get a better look at the arrow. “I think you’re right, Ruk. We should be able to get it out with a single pull, provided he doesn’t struggle.”

“You don’t think pulling an  _ arrow _ out of his  _ leg _ is going to make him-?”

“That’s not what I said. You will all need to hold him, just in case. If he passed out from exhaustion, dehydration, or anything of the like, the pain will likely wake him back up, however briefly.”

“You’re the boss,” the half-dwarf mumbled.

It wasn’t long before Salisun and Kellam returned, both wielding a dagger whose metal gleamed red from the heat of a fire. Kiya took the one from Kellam and instructed those with empty hands to hold the man down. She started with his arm, quickly pressing the blade to his flesh to burn the infection away. His body jerked and his eyes fluttered open for just a moment. His breathing also quickened, but he seemed to settle right back down when Kiya pulled the blade away. She then set aside that dagger and took the remaining one from Salisun, who stepped in to help them. Once the man’s legs and arms were pinned well enough, Ruk took a firm grip at the arrow, as close to the skin as he could without fear of breaking it. He glanced at the others to make sure they were ready. He counted to three, then pulled it quickly. A gravelly scream left the man’s lips as he jerked into consciousness again and the others fought to keep him still. Ruk gave a small cry of effort and the arrow came free, fully intact. Kiya jumped in and press the blade flat to the wound. “We’re trying to help,” she said soothingly once there was a lull in his creams. “Try to stay as still as you can.”

There was no verbal confirmation that he’d heard her, but his body went a little more still, though it quivered under everyone’s hold. Aravae could see his teeth clenched together, trying to bite down his cries, and a sweat broke out on his face. His hands coiled up into tight fists, the knuckles drained of color. Kiya worked as quickly as she could, all but tossing the dagger to the side and going back for her mortar. She scooped out more of her poultice she’d made and rubbed it onto the gash. She ran from the room, then came back with a long strip of cloth for bandaging. She tore a smaller piece and wrapped it around his arm first, shushing him gently as his labored breathing turned into quiet moans of pain. She then worked with his leg, winding the remainder of the bandage there and tying it securely. Everyone slowly released their grip on his limbs while Kiya procured a small vial of liquid from a pocket. She knelt by his head and asked softly, “Can you roll onto your back for just a moment? I can give you something to help with the pain, but you need to swallow it.”

“I...think so,” he whispered in an exhausted, husky tone. His foggy crimson eyes took a moment to open and try and focus. He pushed himself up with his good, but shaking, arm just enough to roll cautiously onto his side. As he kept the momentum going to lay on his back, Kiya had Ruk grab a pillow to set under the knee of his wounded leg so he wouldn’t put pressure on it. He groaned and tried to relax into the new position, his eyes shut tight once more. He still managed to croak from behind his grinding teeth, “Thank you...for helping me.”

“Don’t thank us yet. You aren’t exactly out of the woods.” Kiya popped the small cork off of the vial and ordered, “Open your mouth.”

He did as she asked and she poured the small amount of clear liquid into his mouth, which he promptly swallowed. “Thank you,” he repeated, his voice even quieter than before.

A silence fell in the room as his breathing began to even out. Aravae was the one to break it. “Can you tell us your name or what happened?”

There was no response. He had already slipped back into unconsciousness. Kiya rocked back, sitting on her legs, and sighed heavily. “It’ll be some time before he wakes up. If he wakes. He’s extremely pale and he’s got some chill to him. I can’t imagine when he last drank or ate something.”

“I understand. I just...didn’t feel right leaving him there.” Aravae looked at the skeptical looks around the room and exhaled sharply through her nose. “I know, I know. It was impulsive, but when has my gut been wrong?”

“But a  _ habentes?” _ Kellam hissed, his eyes narrowed. “You trust them least of all.”

Aravae shifted her gaze towards him slowly. “Yes, but...the same as with any race, not all of them are evil. I try to remember that it isn’t their fault they were conceived.”

“Evil is in their nature more than others, even humans. No offense,” Ruk added. The two human men shrugged nonchalantly. “While it isn’t their fault, you can’t exactly fight the very feeling in your bones?”

“Can we just  _ try  _ and reserve judgement for now? I was already planning on standing guard while he sleeps. Forget about it for now. Just go back and finish your meals.”

“Forget about it?” Kellam scoffed and stomped from the room. Moments later, the front door opened and slammed shut. Salisun shook his head and made his way outside after his friend.

The remaining three exchanged looks. Kiya stood and rubbed some feeling back into her legs. “If he wakes, come get me.”

“I will.”

Kiya looked to Ruk, who gave a small wave with his hand. “I’ll stay for now.”

“Okay. I’ll be out in the common room.” The half-elf walked out and closed the door behind her.

Ruk leaned against the wall next to the window. He crossed his arms and nodded his head towards the doorway. “While I don’t necessarily agree with this or think it’s a good idea, you know Kellam will come around.”

“I know. He’s just concerned in his own way.” Aravae went to stand next to him and opened the window, letting fresh air in while her eyes scanned the trees. A thought itched at the back of her mind.

Her dream she’d had. The shadow that had approached her. Was it this man? A warning of some kind? It gave her chills, recalling how the normally gentle dream world had turned so quickly to cold darkness. She glanced back over her shoulder, brows furrowed. Seeing the man before her didn’t give her that prickling sensation on the back of her neck and down her spine like it usually did when she had a bad feeling. She was just being overly cautious, which felt natural. Where had he come from? Why had he been injured? Should they be expecting more company coming after him to finish the job?

That last thought made her fingers ball up into a fist briefly. She could feel eyes on her and glimpsed at Ruk, who hadn’t missed the subtle movement. He arched a brow in silent question, but she shook her head, indicating she wasn’t ready to answer it. She leaned her on her arms as she propped them on the windowsill, taking a deep breath of the forest air. If this man had pursuers, they would have surely caught him by how slow he’d been moving with the arrow in his leg. Perhaps whoever had attacked him assumed him a dead man and let him be. That seemed most likely, but how far had he come? They were quite a ways from the nearest border village and the direction he’d approached them from would have been from deeper within Sovenel. Was he a survivor of the battle that had just happened? It wasn’t unlikely, but that would absolutely confirm him as an enemy.

She forced the tension from her shoulders. It didn’t matter. Whatever was coming when he came to, she knew she could handle it. Rather than rack her brain and led it lead her to wild assumptions, she was better off just waiting for the habentes man to wake and answer her questions.  _ If _ he woke, as Kiya had emphasized.

She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the rustling of the tree leaves instead of the resounding clanging of metal and battlecries that faintly seemed to fill her ears.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These next few chapters won't have names because they are EXTREMELY ROUGH DRAFTS. NaNoWriMo, whoo!

There was a heavy tension that had fallen in the house since the arrival of the habentes. While at least one person remained on guard in or near the room, the rest tried to fall back into their normal habits while they were there. They took turns going out into the forest for herbs, roots, or mushrooms, though all of them had to be inspected by Aravae before being deemed not poisonous and okay for consumption. Kellam was quite good at knowing which ones were safe and which were not, but he always shot whoever an irate glare when they would tease him about his gardening skills and flora and fungal knowledge. Ruk took to chopping firewood to keep busy, wanting to make sure they were well stocked before winter moved in. The fall air was crisp in the mornings, but the afternoons still tended to be warmer and comfortable. Salisun went off to hunt and was gone for the better part of a day, but he returned with a small doe as his prize. Kellam and Aravae offered to dress it and prepare the meat in exchange. 

Kiya checked in on the patient frequently, making sure the bandages stayed fresh and applying new poultices to treat his wounds and bring down the swelling around them. She tried rousing him several times with Ruk’s assistance to see if he could at least drink something. He had developed a bad fever by the next morning and sweated profusely all day long. She tended to him, sopping it all up and trying to cool him down with small rags dipped in water. He occasionally would mumble a few things, but nothing that made coherent sense. Sometimes, when she tried to pour a medicinal drink into his mouth, his head would jerk and he repeated, “No.”

Since he was in Ruk’s bedroom, when the half-dwarf wasn’t keeping guard on him, he ended up sleeping on the couch in the gathering room. The others had tried offering up their beds, but he assured them that it was fine and he had slept on far worse - which was true for all of them. He had definitely been quite tense, but the reminding offer of the deer meat that was soon to come his way brought a more pleasant look to his eyes.

Aravae was seasoning it and passing it off to Ruk while Salisun sat at the table nearby, his head propped in a hand as he leaned on it. Kellam was currently on guard duty and Kiya took pity enough on him to offer to sit with him to keep his mind distracted, seeing as how he was the one most irritated at the presence of the habentes man. Ever being the pursuer of knowledge, particularly of things that Aravae had learned in her long life, Salisun took advantage and asked her railing questions from time to time. When they’d first come together, he asked so many that she had to limit him between his interrogations. Sometimes he would go for new topics, but other times he would round back around to old ones in order to see if she would elaborate more on them.

“...ever come across a completely human or dwarf mage?”

“No,” was her immediate response. She flipped a piece of meat and it landed with a resounding thump on the counter. “Neither humans nor dwarves have the right connections to spirits to be able to channel magic through their bodies.”

“Channeling? What, with spirits?”

“Well, magic is all around you, but also inside of you.” She paused, gazing off in the direction of the meat before her as she searched for other ways to better explain. “It takes a certain kind of skill to be able to tap into what’s inside of you, let alone around you. That’s why, if you’ve ever noticed in battle, most mages we face can only use a certain element or support magic.”

“I’m usually more focused on staying alive,” he said dryly, Ruk grunting in agreement.

Aravae smirked and shook her head. “That’s a good thing to do, don’t get distracted from that. But if an opportunity arises, keep your eyes open. Most mages we fight against are half-elf habenti with much less magical potential within them, which limits their options on what they can do. It is a skill that you’re born with, so I couldn’t even teach you how to harness it, because it’s just a fact that you don’t have it.”

“I remember you mentioning something about that before.” Salisun scratched his chin. “So how about elves? Obviously, your people are well in tune with magic. Not to mention, you yourself.”

“Thank you for noticing, I was beginning to think no one had.” She flashed a grin at him and both men snickered. “I’ve had time to practice. I was also fortunate to have parents as mentors while I was young. I was born with the ability to call forth lightning from within myself.”

“Wait,  _ lightning _ is what you were born with? How did you not electrocute yourself?”

“What, as a child?”

“So you  _ have _ been a child, once…”

“My goodness, you’re rude, of course I was a child at one point. And...don’t assume that there weren’t any incidents. There were several. Going back to your original question, most elves seem to have an affinity for… How do I say this? Elves are generally a very gentle people, so as if responding to that, most specialize in healing, supporting spells, or something related to nature itself - which is a very rare gift. Even more rare is someone who could implant thoughts into your own mind and drive a person insane. Or worse, the victim never even knows.”

“Cheerful,” Ruk muttered.

“Quite. Something else that is unique is individuals that can take what they were born with and learn another kind of magic. For example, I was born with lightning and I learned how to use fire. In my mind, the two are very similar and it was easy enough to transcript it, so to speak.”

“Okay… So, being a mage, can you...I don’t know,  _ sense _ others that are also mages nearby?”

“Only if they are very powerful. There is so much magic around us at all times that it can be hard to discern between natural magic and an individual’s.”

“And you’re staff? You’ve told me before that you don’t necessarily need it to cast spells, but you always have it and use it.”

“Do your questions ever end?” Ruk interjected, arching a brow. Salisun scowled in return.

“It’s okay,” Aravae assured him. “At least you’re staying on one topic tonight. My staff helps to amplify my power. It is carved from a tree, which contains plenty of magic itself. I have always infused it with charms, runes, and such. I  _ can _ cast with just my hands, but there is a difference between a flickering candle and a roaring flame. Think of it this way. You can scoop water from a river with your bare hands to transfer it, but you will lose so much along the way and it won’t be as effective when you put it where you want it. If you use a bucket, not only are your chances to lose water much lower, but you will have much more in the end result.”

He nodded slowly. “Okay, that makes sense. Why aren’t you a teacher in some village? You’re excellent at explaining. I’m sure Ridgeway would move mountains to have you stay.”

She laughed softly. “I’m flattered, thank you. I’m a little too restless to remain in one place for too terribly long. My family never stayed anywhere for longer than a few months. I...tried settling down, but it didn’t go as planned.”

Seeing the look that flashed in Aravae’s eyes, Salisun sat upright quickly and opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off before he could do so. She dipped her hands into the wash basin and dried them off as she said, “I’m going to go trade off with Kellam and Kiya. I’m sure they’d like to come out and stretch their legs. It’s the second day, so he’ll likely wake up sooner rather than later.”

She hurried from the room and did just that. She opened the door quietly and stepped inside, offering to take over for the two sitting inside. Both furrowed their brows at her, but didn’t ask why she didn’t make eye contact with them.

Once they were outside of the room, Aravae shut it slowly, hearing it press against the other side of the wood securely. She could hear the footsteps as they walked into the kitchen and heard soft whispers, like them discussing quietly what was wrong with her. She stepped away from the door and further into the room, going to stand by the slightly open window. It was nearing dark, so there was a very cold nip in the air and she didn’t want to let too much of it inside. It was open just enough to where she could peer outside to look at the trees, but it only took a couple of seconds for her to decide that that wasn’t going to help her mood or thoughts at the moment. She closed the window and pressed her back to the wall, sliding down until she rested on the floor.

She lost focus for quite some time. Voices and faces haunted her thoughts to the point where she almost could have sworn that she was seeing them in front of her, but she would close her eyes and take deep breaths. When they went away, she would try and think of other things such as their next move, where they would go next, what they would do with the habentes, but it was hard for her to concentrate. She heard the occasional louder conversation drift in from the other rooms, but they would die down quickly. It got to be late enough that at some point, a set of footsteps came to a halt outside the door and Ruk’s voice spoke softly, “Aravae? Do you want to trade out and sleep tonight?”

“No, thank you,” she replied just loud enough to know he heard. He made an affirmative grunt and walked down towards the bedroom that belonged to Salisun and Kellam.

It wasn’t much longer after that that all was quiet in the house. It was so silent, it was deafening and felt like it was actually drowning out the steady breathing of the stranger. The lull of sleep was tempting, but she kept her eyes open. She stood up and stretched slowly before settling back down into a meditative position, legs crossed, hands resting on her legs with palms turned upwards, but with relaxed, slightly curled fingers.

She remained like that for some amount of time before she was broken from her trance by a sharp inhale and shuffling movement from the bed. She held out her hand and summoned a small flame to light the darkness as she slowly stood up, her body tense in case the man had just been lying in wait for an opportunity to attack. However, when their eyes met, she could see he was confused, rigid, and panicked. His crimson gaze darted around to take in his surroundings and it looked like he was thinking about leaping up and making a run for the nearest exit. Aravae held up her free hand soothingly, letting her own stance relax. “You’re safe here. We mean you no harm. Do you remember us? Do you remember what happened?”

The man froze in hesitation before trying to sit himself up with a thick groan. He decided it wasn’t worth the effort and remained on his back where he was. He exhaled slowly, looking like he was falling into thought. “I...think so. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.” His tenor voice was dry and hoarse.

“Would you like some water?”

There was another pause from him, as if he were trying to decide if he could rise up himself to fetch it. But he pressed his lips together and licked them, not even able to wet them properly. “Please,” he murmured.

“A moment, then.” She flicked her wrist and her small flame broke apart into even tinier flickers before shifting about, roaming the room to light candles. Aravae made her way to the door and left the room, going to fetch the basin of fresh water in the kitchen. She also dipped a ladle into it and carried it back in with her. She set it down on the small table beside the bed and the man attempted once more at sitting up. He moved slowly, but managed to pull himself up and twist around so that his back was leaning against the wall. Aravae offered him the ladle filled with water and slowly handed it to him as he reached out, accepting it with a bob of his head as thanks. He sucked it down greedily, coughing a little as he did so. When Aravae took it back from him, she demanded, “Who are you?”

He dipped his head down slightly, his long black bangs falling into his face as if attempting to hide his expression. “Just a humble habentes trying to pass through.”

“I asked who, not what.”

Her stern, blunt tone seemed to startle him. He looked back up at her with a puzzled look. Her eyes were narrowed, mouth set in a firm line. He cleared his throat and mumbled, with a hint of shame, “...I am Haldreithen.”

“There, not so hard.” Her expression softened a little. “I am Aravae.”

“Where exactly am I?”

“Where are you looking to be?”

Her returning his question with another did not seem to surprise him. He was a stranger that had wandered into their territory, after all. “I was looking to be anywhere but where I was, near Crosscut.”

Aravae stored that information, finding a piece of that peculiar. “Why were you working on getting away? And what from? How did you get injured?”

“The color of my eyes very clearly discerns my nature and personality.” His tone dripped with venomous sarcasm. “I was leaving because it was no longer safe for me to be near there. If I am honest, I’m surprised I lasted as long as I did there. There isn’t anywhere that’s truly safe for people like me. I made it all this way and stumbled across some of the king’s men just the other day, all the way out here and they attacked me.”

“So you were targeted by them simply by being a habentes?” She dipped the ladle again, offering more water.

He accepted it with thanks. Once he sipped it, he grumbled, “I wouldn’t expect an elf to understand.”

“I can guarantee you that I understand more than most and more than my comrades will.” Her voice was even and calm. “Speaking openly with me now will help save your skin when they wake.”

He grimaced. “I understand. However, I swear I speak the truth. I committed no wrongdoings. I left where I was because I felt unsafe. The men attacked me first and I fled.”

“They didn’t pursue you?”

“I…” His hand twitched and clenched into a fist. Aravae went still as he turned his gaze down towards it. “I defended myself. I can command air and I summoned a wind strong enough to knock them back into some trees while I distanced myself.”

“You killed them?” 

“No, I swear. I just knocked them around. They were still moving around, but they smacked their heads well enough, so it was hard for them to get back upright.”

Aravae hummed while she nodded her head slowly, taking all of this into consideration. She felt as though he were being truthful, even if he wasn’t sharing full details of events. He didn’t seem menacing and though she was slightly ashamed to admit it, even to herself, part of her couldn’t move past the color of his eyes, knowing what it meant. She didn’t think she would ever be able to fully trust him, even if he were to spill his entire past with vivid details to her. She stood and left the room once more, going to fetch a small bread roll. She handed it to him and said, “Try and eat a little. See if you can stomach it, then rest some more. We’ll see if you can tolerate more in the morning.”

“Thank you.”

As he took a bite, Aravae paused in the doorway, arching a brow. “How many times are you going to thank me?”

“You saved my life when you didn’t have to,” he replied quickly. “There isn’t an easy way to repay you for that. Thanking you is all I can do at the moment.”

“I see. You’re welcome.” She left the room, closing the door behind her after making a small waving gesture with her hand. It didn’t surprise her to see Ruk standing out in the hall, leaning against the wall, his brows furrowed with concentration. She approached him and whispered, “It’s fine. You can go back to sleep.”

“Is it, though?”

“It is. I implanted a sensation of drowsiness in his mind to urge him to sleep. He’ll likely be back out until morning at least. Just in case, I’m going to sleep out on the couch tonight so I can hear if he moves.”

“No, let me.”

She smiled and tapped his chest. “You all worry about me as if I’m made of glass. You’re exhausted. Go sleep. I’ll be fine.”

He still looked unsure, frowning deeply and inhaling slowly. In response, he tapped her shoulder and muttered, “You know you like it. Wake me if you need me.”

“I will,” she assured him as she shifted, making her way to the common room and laying down on the couch.

* * *

Aravae woke rested, a little surprised that she had even slept so soundly, though she hadn’t turned to the dream world. Perhaps there was a small part of her that was nervous to return after what she had seen. She stretched her sore joints as she sat up from the couch, her long hair spilling over her shoulders. A yawn escaped her and a chill ran down her spine as the blanket that had somehow made its way to being overtop her slid down to her lap. There were soft voices that she could hear from outside, which piqued her interest. She stood and took slow, still-sleepy steps towards the entrance of the house and opened the door. The trio of men were standing outside, not far from the door, arms all crossed. Seeing that it was her, Salisun gave a small wave in greeting while Ruk and Kellam nodded their heads at her.

“What’s going on?” she inquired, shuddering lightly at the early morning chill.

“Nothing too much. We were just discussing what our next course of action should be.” Kellam ran a hair through his messy, curly locks. “After we deal with this habentes situation, I mean. I hear he woke last night?”

They waited a beat. “And? What did he say?” Salisun demanded.

She inhaled deeply. “Apparently, he was fleeing the capital, claiming he didn’t feel safe there anymore. He made it here and the king’s men spotted him and attacked without provocation.”

Ruk hummed and looked down towards his feet. “What does your gut tell you? Is he truthful?”

“For the most part, yes. I feel that anything he has told me is the actual truth, though he is scarce on details. I feel like he is holding back on things, but nothing necessarily threatening.”

Kellam stiffened. “Yet you just let him go back to sleep? He could have feigned it, put us under a spell, and slit our throats. Who would have known?”

Aravae raised a challenging eyebrow. “You are alive and awake, are you not? I placed a spell on  _ him _ , luring him to sleep. Judging by the fact that no one is in the room with him, I assume it’s still in effect, but likely for not much longer.”

He stuttered, choking on his words a little. “I’m-I’m sorry. I should know by now you think far ahead.”

“Think nothing of it. Now, what did you come up with for what we should do next?”

“We figure passing through the nearby villages on the way up to Ridgeway.” Ruk scratched his beard thoughtfully. “We can get to a smithy, pick up some new supplies, get new information we haven’t heard yet...pick you up yet another cloak.”

Aravae pointedly ignored the last bit. “That sounds good to me. What about snows? We aren’t worried about getting stuck?”

“It’s a bit early yet,” Salisun assured her. “There may be a little bit, but by the time we arrive, we can still descend back down, one side or another.”

“Alright. That sounds good.”

Ruk asked the heavy question. “What about the habentes?”

“I’m still thinking about that,” she admitted. “We’ll see if I can get anything more out of him today and see what you all think.”

They grunted, almost in unison, displaying their level of enthusiasm about listening to Haldreithen’s tale.

“Is Kiya still sleeping?”

“I assume so. She isn’t out here.” Kellam shrugged.

“I’ll go wake her and see if Haldreithen - I did manage to at least get his name - isn’t awake, we’ll rouse him too.”

“That’s a mouthful,” she heard Kellam retort as she turned to walk back inside.

“Elves,” was Ruk’s sage answer.

Aravae shook her head as she smirked at them. She knocked softly on the door to the room she shared with Kiya, a little surprised to hear her respond with an equally quiet, “Come in.”

She slipped inside, a little surprised to see her sitting on the floor in her stance of meditation, but her shoulders were slouched and her eyes looked weary. Aravae frowned and knelt on the floor before her, reverting into her native tongue that she had been instructing Kiya on. “Is something the matter, sister?”

She brought her eyes up to meet Aravae’s, the elder woman seeing the discomfort and worry behind them. “Nothing incredibly serious. Bad dreams plagued me last night is all. I’m trying to get my mind off of them.”

“Dreams are important,” Aravae insisted. “They can warn you of danger or remind you of serious lessons. Would you like to speak of it?”

Kiya considered her offer before answering, “No, thank you. I’ll be fine. It isn’t the first time for this dream.”

Aravae set a gentle hand on her shoulder, squeezing lightly. “You know I am always willing to listen if you change your mind.”

“I do. Thank you, sister.”

“Are you feeling up to getting dressed? I am going to wake the habentes so that he may speak to us.”

Her lips set in a tight line, but she nodded and rose from her spot. Aravae gave her some privacy to get herself decent, returning to the common room for a moment. The man made their way inside, all silent and faces grouchy. Kiya entered after a few more minutes and furrowed her brows at the men. “Your faces are going to get stuck like that, you know.”

“Kellam’s already is,” Salisun said quickly, breaking out into a mischievous grin.

Kellam was quick to punch Salisun’s upper arm, the offended man wincing, but still smiling. Ruk scoffed. Aravae turned on heel to head towards Ruk’s bedroom. “Okay, now. Let’s go.”

They were all a bit stunned when she opened the door and they filed in, Haldreithen sitting up in bed much like how he had the previous night, freezing while taking a sip of water from the ladle. Aravae and Kiya were first, expressions neutral albeit a little surprised to see him awake. The men, on the other hand, had their scowls right back on their faces, eyes narrowed and attempting to look as intimidating as possible. Haldreithen’s eyes widened and shot towards the window, as if thinking about throwing himself out of it. Seeing their behavior, Aravae sighed heavily. “No need to have our chests puffed out, children. He realizes his situation.” His sharp gaze came back to her and she gave him an encouraging nod. “If you’d be so kind, please go ahead and tell them what you told me last night.

He set the ladle back in the basin, not really relaxing, but did as she asked. He retold his story, ensuring to not leave anything out. He was almost twice as insistent that the hadn’t provoked the king’s men into attacking, but judging by his tone, it was the slight panic leaking in from being cornered in a room by five people while he was unarmed. All the while, they listened to him intently, eyes hard. They asked no questions when he finished, taking time to process. Aravae, however, had had time to think of one that she hadn’t asked last night. “What are your plans? Are you going to keep running out of the country? It isn’t better anywhere. I would say to the west, but you’d likely just be sent back into the path of our blades.”

His brows drew together and his head hung. “To be honest...I wasn’t sure. I had heard Krittan had become a relatively safe place for habenti, considering the queen is one herself. I figured that was the best plan of action and then go from there.”

She hummed thoughtfully. “You said you can manipulate air. Do you fight with any weapons?”

Haldreithen looked at her with suspicion, not sure where she was leading to with her question. “Not very polished, but I’ve trained with a sword from time to time. I usually also carry a knife. My magic, I try to use without a staff.”

She nodded slowly, drinking in his words.

“Aravae…” Ruk’s voice was low, sounding like a warning.

She disregarded him. “Do you wish to exact vengeance on those who have attacked you?”

He took a moment to consider his answer. “I carry rage towards those who persecute me for no other reason than the color of my eyes, but...if I run around killing anyone who looked at me wrong, that would just cause a never ending cycle of hatred and bloodshed. So...no. I may think about it, but I wouldn’t act on it. I just want to live away from it all in peace.”

“Aravae…” It was Kellam this time.

“It’s only been a couple days of rest, but do you think you could put pressure on your leg? Walk?”

“I’m…” He cleared his throat. “I’m not sure.”

“Well, while we go out and talk, find out.” She went to exit the room, the others close on her heels. They went out to the common room, circling up.

“Are you  _ serious?” _ Kellam hissed lowly.

“Do you really  _ have _ to just pick up every stray you come across?” Salisun demanded, exasperated.

Despite the clear aggravation in the room, Aravae couldn’t hold back her amused smirk. “You just referred to everyone here as a stray.”

“It’s essentially true, there’s no denying it!”

“We don’t know him,” Ruk growled, trying to be the voice of reason. “What if he’s a good liar and actually a spy for the forces of Krittan?”

“I didn’t know you when we first started fighting together, or have you forgotten?”

“I did not and will never know magic.”

“You’re twice my size and could have easily won if you wanted to kill me.”

“Hey, hey.” Salisun rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Let’s try to not go at each other’s throats. I, for one, just don’t have a good feeling about this.”

“Why ask for our opinions if you aren’t going to listen to us?” Kellam urged.

“Who said I wasn’t listening? Believe me, I am.”

“Kiya? You’ve been quiet, what do you think about this?” Kellam whirled around to her.

She pursed her lips and tilted her head in thought. “I personally don’t feel like he’s much of a threat. Aravae is much more experienced in magic, so I don’t think he poses a risk there. If he is unarmed until we could theoretically trust him… It isn’t like he’d be a challenge for the three of you, physically.”

“What about him being able to converse with demons? They could be swarming here right now for all we-”

A heavy thud and a curse resounded from the bedroom they’d left, interrupting Ruk. They all paused and listened, piecing together that Haldreithen had attempted what Aravae had all but ordered him to do, trying to see if he could stand on his injured leg or not.

Continuing as though he hadn’t heard it, Reuk repeated, “There could be demons gathering here to his whim. If not now, he could probably summon them quickly.”

“I may not be able to see them as freely as habenti, but I can sense them. They have such heavy, boding auras. There is nothing in our surroundings.”

Salisun sighed and shook his head, seeing that they were fighting an uphill battle that they were not about to win. “When he stabs a knife in your back, don’t come crying to me.”

“What founds these heavy suspicions?” Aravae asked harshly. “Of course, we are all always skeptical and wary of strangers, but this is much more than usual. Is it simply because he is a habentes? Are you suggesting that there can’t be innocents caught up in this war on their side, too?”

Silence answered her.

“If I can move past it, so can you. All I ask is we give him a chance. I have listened to your concerns, I promise. If you’ve calmed down about this, would you hear out my plan?”

The others exchanged looks with each other. Though most were disgruntled, they nodded in agreement. “Fine,” Kellam drawled sourly.

“Thank you. Now, we can proceed to Ridgeway as planned. We may be slower moving because of him, but if he goes now, there is a high possibility that he will die on his journey, whether it be by his wounds or another attack. We cannot escort him into Krittan because we will also be attacked. So, he can come along with us until either we decide we can’t trust him or until he is healed. At such a point, we can bring him back to the border and let him proceed on his own. There is a possibility that, if we befriend him,” she lowered her voice, “he would potentially bring us information from within Krittan as to why exactly the queen is so bent on attacking Sovenel.”

“You want him to spy?” Salisun inquired with disbelief.

“None but a habentes can make it past the border these days. Neither monarch has made a move to even meet in a neutral zone, none of the captured habenti will give us any information, and neither side seems to be letting up. There’s more of an army presence along the border area that we used to patrol every day. It feels like it’s turning into a massacre.”

“...You raise good points,” Kellam grunted. “Even when I tried to ask King Conrad about it that time we met him, he just gave a flowery walk around and didn’t answer me at all.”

“As is the way of a person in power when they don’t know an answer to something or they know that the general populace won’t like the answer,” Ruk commented. “At least it’s just a single person for these two countries. Imagine Arkk’ukari, an oligarchy of eight families.”

“I don’t envy that at all.” Kiya scrunched her nose.

Aravae nodded. “Agreed. So, are we all in agreement? We will take him with us?”

They swapped uncertain, but pondering expressions. One by one, they gave concurrence. Pleased, Aravae announced, “Well, I’ll go see his progress, though judging by all the noise, it isn’t much, and I’ll decide when we should leave. When do you think is the latest we should go?”

The two who hailed from Ridgeway glanced towards each other and agreed that they should be on their way within a week to a week and a half. With that in mind, Aravae went back to Ruk’s room, opening the door to see Haldreithen on the other side, leaning against the wall with his injured leg pulled up, hovering above the floor. He looked both pained and sheepish at the same time. “I, um...don’t think that’s going to happen.”

“Well, don’t push it and make it start bleeding. We can find you something to lean on. There’s a stream that isn’t far away,” she pointed in the general direction. “Make your way there, clean up, Kiya will help dress your wounds again, we’ll try and find some better clothes, and we’ll talk again.”

Haldreithen looked like he wanted to say something, judging by the expression that flashed across his face that looked potentially like frustration. He hobbled back over to the bed to sit. “So you...aren’t going to kill me?”

“No, we aren’t. Like I said, we’ll talk after you clean up. Are you hungry?”

He nodded wordlessly.

“We’ll conjure up some food as well, then. I’ll be right back.”

Aravae went and fetched him a stick from outside that had been previously used as a walking stick. Likely having heard what she’d said, Ruk silently handed her some folded clothes, which she took with thanks. She gave them to Haldreithen, who tucked the clothes under his arm and attempted to use both hands as much as he could to hold the walking stick. She stepped out of his way and they all watched as he limped from the house and towards the stream.

“What if he runs?” Salisun pondered once he was out of earshot.

“Go set a watch on him if you’re that worried,” Aravae said dismissively.

Kellam looked like he was thinking about it.

They separated and went about their own business. Aravae went to the kitchen and grabbed a bowl, throwing a few lighter food items in it: a roll of bread, some berries, and a single piece of dried meat. She set it out on the table for when he returned and then went to her room. She hadn’t done her morning meditations for a couple of days, so that felt like a good place to start to her. It seemed that Kiya had a similar thought, because she accompanied Aravae outside and to the side of the house. They sat and assumed their positions, noticing how Kellam left the house as well with his lance and a whetstone. He leaned against a tree some distance in the other direction so he wouldn’t disturb the women and began to sharpen his blade after casting his eyes towards the direction of the stream. Aravae and Kiya gave each other an encouraging nod and set about their meditations.

Aravae was glad to find some peace of mind to carry through it as normal. There were no flashes of battles, no old voices haunting her mind. It was nice and quiet, though accented by the  _ shiiing _ of Kellam’s whetstone. 

After some time, there was the sound of Haldreithen’s awkward steps coming through the brush, but before Aravae could open her eyes and address the situation, she heard Kellam bite out, “Food is in the kitchen.”

There was a pause before Haldreithen replied, “Thank you,” and continued on his way.

The women finished their meditation and Aravae took a moment teach Kiya a few new phrases in elven that she could practice with in sentences. Kiya beamed at this, always happy to learn more of the native tongue of the elves. Being half elf and half human, she always tended to lean more towards her elvish roots. She was practicing, but all she could do with magic was summon forth weak barriers. Still, she was fascinated with learning, much as Salisun was, though he couldn’t use any of the knowledge as much as her. 

Once they were finished with that, they went about examining their personal stores in the house. They wanted to make a list in their minds about what they wanted to pick up in the next village they passed through. They did have to be careful about how much space they had for carrying. They didn’t have any mounts for riding, mainly because they needed to have the advantage of silence and surprise when they came upon a group of habenti sneaking into Sovenel. A lot of the mountain paths could be a bit treacherous, but most were passable for horses. They also decided some time ago that having five of them would be a lot more for them to keep up with and fed, especially in winter. At the moment, Aravae couldn’t deny having a horse sounded best for Haldreithen’s hobbling.

After they had a list of what Kiya would need for herself and her stores, they went to the common room, where Ruk was sitting and reading. Salisun was nowhere to be seen and Kellam was still outside. Haldreithen could be seen sticking out from sitting in the kitchen, still eating slowly on the food that had been set out for him. 

The silence felt awkward to a point, as if both sides were waiting for the other to begin speaking first. It appeared that Haldreithen was more bothered. He scooted his chair back and demanded, “If you aren’t going to kill me, what’s to be done with me?”

“You can remain with us while you heal,” Aravae informed him. “If you leave now, you will likely develop an infection and die from it before you ever reach Sedimir in Krittan.”

His eyebrow twitched, almost in disagreement, but he did cast a look down to his leg. He was sitting on the very edge of the seat so that he could be sitting as far off of his injury as possible. Kiya took the time to intervene, “How is it feeling? Burning? Throbbing? Is it bleeding after you washed it? I hope not, since you just dressed in clean clothes.” He opened his mouth to reply, but she added a quick, concerned, “No hallucinations, right?”

“N-no, nothing of that sort. It is still causing a lot of pain. I would say throbbing, but no burning. Not unless there is pressure applied to it.”

“That sounds fairly normal for such a deep wound. When you’re finished eating, we’ll dress it again.”

“Thank you.”

So it was that the next couple of days were spent preparing for their journey. Provisions and necessities were tucked away, traveling clothes were folded and rolled, armor sitting out, ready to be put on. Haldreithen tried insisting on not being useless and offering to help in any way he could, but with strict orders from Kiya, he wasn’t allowed to do much of anything. He spent his time resting and doing small test walks to see how his leg was feeling. She kept a close eye on its progress, seeming happy with how it was healing. At one point, she even patted Haldreithen’s shoulder and made a comment about how she didn’t even have to sew the skin back together and that made his eyes widen ever so slightly.

When the morning of departure came, everyone dressed in their armor, though they didn’t have any spare pieces for Haldreithen. Aravae told him if they had enough coin for when they reached Harvelle, they would try to have him fitted for at least something simple. Much to Kellam’s disdain, Salisun did offer him an old sword for protection. They all assured him they shouldn’t run into any trouble on their way, but precautions were always best. Ruk checked for a third time that his smaller axes were well in place on his bag before shrugging it on. “Well, let’s be on our way, shall we?”

Salisun grinned. “You’re just ready for some decent mead.”

“And you aren’t?” Ruk retorted, a small grin gracing his lips.

“We could all use some, preferably on the stronger side,” Kellam confirmed.

Aravae and Kiya stepped out of the house last, passing the bag of food to Haldreithen to have him do his part to carry some of the load. Aravae’s hair had been set back into a tight braid, keeping it all pulled back out of her face. Kiya’s hair had been done as well as Aravae had been able to do for her, with flat twists done on about a third of her hair while the rest twisted out. On her left ear was a golden, ornamental piece that fit snugly on the tip of her pointed ear. All of them were prepped with their weapons, armor, and provisions. Aravae looked at them decisively. “Are we ready?”

They all voiced agreements. Ruk stepped forward and locked the door to the house, the others giving it a glance over their shoulders as they set back out once more into the forest, not sure when the next time they would be back was.


End file.
